Echinacea plant named ‘Hilmoomotiv’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Echinacea plant named ‘Hilmoomotiv’, characterized by its upright to somewhat outward plant habit; moderately vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit, dense and bushy appearance; strong and healthy roots and leaves; dark green-colored leaves; freely flowering habit; strong flowering stems; large inflorescences with light brownish orange-colored ray florets; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Echinacea purpurea.

Cultivar denomination: ‘HILMOOMOTIV’.

STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY INVENTOR & APPLICANT

A Polish Plant Breeder's Rights application for the instant plant was filed by the Applicant, Takii Europe B.V. of De Kwakel, The Netherlands on Jan. 4, 2021, application number OR 1684. Foreign priority is not claimed to this application.

An European Community Plant Breeder's Rights application for the instant plant was filed by the Applicant, Takii Europe B.V. of De Kwakel, The Netherlands on Feb. 9, 2021, application number 2021/0394. Foreign priority is not claimed to this application.

The Inventor & Applicant assert that no publications nor advertisements relating to sales, offers for sale or public distribution occurred more than one year prior to the effective filing date of this application. Any information about the claimed plant would have been obtained from a direct or indirect disclosure from the Inventor or the Applicant. Inventor & Applicant claim a prior art exception under 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(1) for disclosure and/or sales prior to the filing date but less than one year prior to the effective filing date.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Echinacea plant, botanically known as Echinacea purpurea, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Hilmoomotiv’.

The new Echinacea plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in De Kwakel, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program is to develop new strong and freely flowering Echinacea plants with attractive inflorescences and good garden performance.

The new Echinacea plant originated from an open-pollination in April, 2014 in De Kwakel, The Netherlands of a proprietary selection of Echinacea purpurea identified as code designation Y, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with an unknown selection of Echinacea purpurea as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Echinacea plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated open-pollination grown in a controlled greenhouse environment in De Kwakel, The Netherlands in April, 2015.

Asexual reproduction of the new Echinacea plant by in vitro meristem culture in a controlled environment in De Kwakel, The Netherlands since April, 2015 has shown that the unique features of this new Echinacea plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Echinacea have been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Hilmoomotiv’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Hilmoomotiv’ as a new and distinct Echinacea plant:

-   -   1. Upright to somewhat outward plant habit.     -   2. Moderately vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Freely branching habit, dense and bushy appearance.     -   4. Strong and healthy roots and leaves.     -   5. Dark green-colored leaves.     -   6. Freely flowering habit.     -   7. Strong flowering stems.     -   8. Large inflorescences with light brownish orange-colored ray         florets.     -   9. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Echinacea can be compared to plants of the female parent selection. Plants of the new Echinacea differ from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Leaves of plants of the new Echiacea are darker green in         color than leaves of plants of the female parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Echinacea are more freely flowering than         plants of the female parent selection.     -   3. Plants of the new Echinacea have larger inflorescences than         plants of the female parent selection.     -   4. Ray florets of plants of the new Echinacea are light brownish         orange in color whereas ray florets of plants of the female         parent selection are pink in color.

Plants of the new Echinacea can be compared to plants of Echinacea purpurea ‘Hilmoomedi’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Echinacea differ primarily from plants of ‘Hilmoomedi’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Echinacea are not as compact as and have         shorter peduncles than plants of ‘Hilmoomedi’.     -   2. Ray florets of plants of the new Echinacea are light brownish         orange in color whereas ray florets of plants of ‘Hilmoomedi’         are more orange in color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new Echinacea plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Echinacea plant. The photograph is a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Hilmoomotiv’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations and measurements describe plants grown during the spring and summer in 15-cm containers in a glass-covered greenhouse and “finished” in an outdoor nursery in De Kwakel, The Netherlands under cultural practices typically used in commercial Echinacea production. During the production of the plants, greenhouse day temperatures ranged from 12° C. to 14° C., outdoor nursery day temperatures ranged from 14° C. to 20°, greenhouse night temperatures ranged from 12° to 14° and outdoor nursery night temperatures ranged from 7° C. to 15° C. Plants were 25 weeks from planting when the photograph and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2015 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Echinacea purpurea ‘Hilmoomotiv’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female parent.—Proprietary selection of Echinacea purpurea             identified as code designation Y, not patented.         -   Male parent.—Unknown selection of Echinacea purpurea, not             patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By in vitro meristem culture.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About five weeks at             temperatures about 20° C. for the first two weeks, then at             temperatures about 12° C. to 14° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About six weeks at             temperatures about 20° C. for the first two weeks, then at             temperatures about 14° C. to 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About five             weeks at temperatures about 14° C. to 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About six             weeks at temperatures about 18° C.         -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fibrous; strong and             healthy; typically white to brown in color, actual color of             the roots is dependent on substrate composition, water             quality, fertilizer type and formulation, substrate             temperature and physiological age of roots.         -   Rooting habit.—Moderately freely branching; medium density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant form and growth habit.—Herbaceous perennial; upright             to somewhat outward plant habit, broadly ovate to oblong in             overall shape; freely branching habit with about twelve             branches developing per plant; moderately vigorous growth             habit and slow to moderate growth rate.         -   Plant height.—About 37 cm.         -   Plant diameter or spread.—About 32.9 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 14 cm. Diameter: About             4.5 mm. Internode length: About 1.8 cm. Aspect: Erect to             about 10° from vertical. Strength: Strong. Texture:             Moderately pubescent, strigose; rough. Color: Close to 144A. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Basal and cauline leaves.—Arrangement: Alternate, simple.             Length: About 10.6 cm. Width: About 3.8 cm. Shape: Narrowly             ovate. Apex: Acute to narrowly acute. Base: Attenuate.             Margin: Entire; moderately undulate. Texture and luster,             upper and lower surfaces: Sparsely to moderately pubescent,             strigose; rough; not rugose; slightly glossy. Venation             pattern: Pinnate. Color: Developing leaves, upper surface:             Close to a blend of 143A and 146B. Developing leaves, lower             surface: Close to 146B. Fully expanded leaves, upper             surface: Close to NN137A; venation, close to 145A. Fully             expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 147B; venation,             close to 146D. Petioles: Basal leaves, length: About 4.2 cm.             Cauline leaves, length: About 2 mm. Diameter, basal and             cauline leaves: About 2.25 mm. Strength: Strong, flexible.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Sparsely pubescent;             strigose. Color, upper surface: Close to NN137A; midvein,             close to 146D; proximally, basal leaves, slightly tinged             with close to 176B. Color, lower surface: Close to 138A;             midvein, close to 146D. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Appearance.—Terminal rotate single-type inflorescences with             ray and disc florets arranged on a capitulum; inflorescences             positioned upright above the foliar plane on mostly upright             and strong peduncles.         -   Flowering habit.—Freely flowering habit with more than 24             open inflorescences per plant at one time.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Time to flower.—Plants begin flowering about four weeks             after flower bud development; in the garden, plants flower             continuously from early May to mid-November in The             Netherlands.         -   Inflorescence longevity.—Inflorescences maintain good             substance for about three weeks on the plant; inflorescences             persistent.         -   Inflorescence buds.—Height: About 2.5 cm. Diameter: About             3 cm. Shape: Flattened globular. Color: Involucral bracts,             slightly darker and more intense than 146B tinged with close             to 172A; immature ray florets, close to N170C and at the             apices, close to 150A to 150B.         -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 8.2 cm. Depth (height):             About 4.2 cm. Disc diameter: About 2.8 cm.         -   Receptacles.—Height: About 7 mm. Diameter: About 8 mm.             Shape: Broadly ovate. Color: Close to 155B.         -   Ray florets.—Quantity and arrangement: About 17 to 24             arranged in about two whorls at the base of the receptacle.             Length: About 3.7 cm. Width: About 1.15 cm. Shape:             Oblanceolate. Apex: Praemorse. Base: Cuneate. Margin:             Entire. Texture and luster, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous;             velvety; moderately carinate; matte. Texture and luster,             lower surface: Sparsely pubescent; slightly glossy. Aspect:             Horizontal to drooping, eventually about 40° from             horizontal. Color: When opening, upper surface: Close to             38A; distally, tinged with close to 37A and 37B. When             opening, lower surface: Close to 54B and 54C and at the             apex, close to N144D. Fully opened, upper surface: Close to             51B; distally, tinged with close to 43D; venation, similar             to lamina color; color becoming closer to slightly lighter             than 59D and at the apex, close to 146D, with subsequent             development. Fully opened, lower surface: Close to N170D             slightly tinged with close to 75D and towards the apex,             close to 59D; venation, similar to lamina color; color             becoming closer to 174C and 174D and towards the apex, close             to 146B and venation, close to 197C and 197D, with             subsequent development.         -   Disc florets.—Quantity and arrangement: About 300 spirally             arranged at the center of the inflorescence. Length: About             1 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm. Shape: Lower 87.5% fused into a             tube, apices acute; free margins, entire. Texture and             luster, inner and outer surfaces: Smooth, glabrous;             moderately glossy. Color, immature, inner and outer             surfaces: Distally, close to N148A and slightly tinged with             close to 182B and 182C at the apex; proximally, close to             146D. Color, mature, inner and outer surfaces: Distally,             close to N148B and proximally, close to 151B.         -   Receptacle spines.—Quantity: One per disc floret. Shape:             Acicular. Apex: Acute. Base: Attenuate. Texture and luster:             Smooth, glabrous; glossy. Color: Apex: Close to 24A and at             the apex, close to N45A to N45B. Mid-section: Close to 147C.             Base: Close to 145C to 145D.         -   Involucral bracts.—Quantity and arrangement: About 68             arranged in about three whorls. Length: About 1 cm. Width:             About 3 mm. Shape: Oblong to narrowly ovate; apex, reflexed.             Apex: Acute. Base: Cuneate. Margin: Entire. Texture and             luster, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous; slightly glossy.             Texture and luster, lower surface: Smooth and mostly             glabrous, margins are moderately pubescent; matte. Color,             upper surface: Close to NN137A and towards the base, close             to 137B. Color, lower surface: Close to NN137B.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 12.1 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm.             Strength: Strong. Aspect: Upright. Texture: Moderately             pubescent, strigose. Color: Close to 144A slightly blotched             with close to 146B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium (present on ray and disc             florets): Quantity per floret: About five. Filament length:             About 4 mm. Filament color: Close to 157A. Anther shape:             Narrowly oblong. Anther length: About 3.5 mm. Anther color:             Close to 200A. Pollen amount: Scarce to moderate. Pollen             color: Close to 23A. Gynoecium (present only on disc             florets): Quantity per floret: One. Pistil length: About             6 mm. Stigma shape: Decurrent, unequal. Stigma color: Close             to 34B. Style length: About 5 mm. Style color: Close to             150D. Ovary color: Close to 157A. Seeds and fruits: To date,             seed and fruit development have not been observed on plants             of the new Echinacea. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: To date, plants of the new Echinacea     have not been shown to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to     Echinacea plants. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Echinacea have exhibited good     garden performance and to tolerate rain and wind. Plants of the new     Echinacea have been observed to tolerate high temperatures of about     35° C. and to be hardy to USDA Hardiness Zones 3 to 4. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Echinacea plant named ‘Hilmoomotiv’ as illustrated and described. 